From Bob Hope and Richard Pryor, to Conan O’Brien and Wanda Sykes, to Trevor Noah and Birmingham’s own Roy Wood Jr. For decades, comedians have been integral to the White House Correspondents’ Association annual dinner.
But not this year. The WHCA has canceled comedian Amber Ruffin’s performance at the 2025 edition, scheduled for April 26.
As reported by Politico, WHCA president Eugene Daniels said in an email, “The WHCA board has unanimously decided we are no longer featuring a comedic performance this year.”
Ruffin, an Emmy-nominated writer and performer with “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” has a history of joking on President Donald Trump in her work.
During an appearance on a Daily Beast podcast released Thursday, Ruffin likened the Republican Trump administration to “a bunch of murderers.” She also said she doesn’t make fun of Democrat leaders too because it makes Republicans “feel like human beings, but they shouldn’t get to feel that way, ‘cause they’re not.”
The WHCA is independent from the White House.
On a X/Twitter post Friday, Trump’s White House Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich called Ruffin “a 2nd rate comedian.”
Budowich also wrote, “What kind of responsible, sensible journalist would attend something like this? More importantly, what kind of company would sponsor such as hate-filled and violence-inspiring event?”
In his email, Daniels didn’t mention Ruffin by name, as reported by ABC News. Daniels indicated the event was undergoing a “re-envisioning” and details thereof would be forthcoming.
Daniels added, “At this consequential moment for journalism, I want to ensure the focus is not on the politics of division but entirely on awarding our colleagues for their outstanding work and providing scholarship and mentorship to the next generation of journalists.”
The White House Correspondents’ Association annual dinner launched in 1921. Entertainers joking on politicians and current events has long been part of the event.
Trump didn’t attend the dinners during his previous presidential term. He hasn’t announced yet if he will attend this year’s event.
But White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has already said she won’t be there. Recently, Leavitt said on “The Sean Spicer Show,” that, “This is a group of journalists who’ve been covering the White House for decades. They started this organization because the presidents at the time were not doing enough press conferences. I don’t think we have that problem anymore under this president.”